Its crenellation still standing, the boulvard at the main entrance alreaady lined up with palm and olive trees: this ancient establishment covered a key role in the Middle Ages for the population that lived near it.

It was a watchtower used to defend the nearby feud called Ragana from potential assaults by the French fleet at the beginning and by the north-african communities after.
Sicily, at the time conquered by many, really managed to steal everyone’s heart. Around the half of 1300 its inhabitants started to feel the need for protection against these attacks.
Several facilities were built all around the Sicilian coastline and were called notification towers. Their guardians used lights or smoke to signal unwelcomed invasions to other towers located more internally called second announcement towers.
These second towers had the specific task of activating the village defense procedures therefore ensuring the town’s protection.

The Tower still standing today at Cantine De Gregorio‘s estate used to be one of these second announcement watchtowers, paired up with Torre del Tradimento, a tower near San Marco beach.

More than 600 years later we can still observe the sea and inspect the coastline, picturing the soldiers on the lookout waiting for the attacks.
At the time the busiest months were from April to October due to harvest, which was the most precious resource people had. Today, the cycle remains unchanged and that part of the year is still the busiest for us, although the harvest is a little different and visit to the Tower don’t come from guards anymore, but from just married couples and curious visitors.
There is, however, a common element between the soldiers that lived in 1400 and whoever climbs up to the tower today: both gaze into the sea out of care for what they love.

Have you ever been up into the Tower? Book your tour for next summer and join us in watching the sunset!